History of the Finn Gold Cup 1990 to 1996

35. Gold Cup 1990

Porto Carras, Greece, July 5-15105 entries from 25 countriesThe Canadians almost cleaned up in 1990 with only Lasse Hjortnäs and Eric Mergenthaler stopping a 1,2,3 for Canada. After losing the Gold Cup in the last race of the 1989 event, Mexican Eric Mergenthaler was out to win. He moved into the lead after five races and going into the last race was 19 points clear of Hank Lammens and 34 points clear of Larry Lemieux. However he also had a DSQ in race 2 for pumping, so could not afford a bad result in the final race. As it turned out he was 48th at the gybe mark, pulled back to 31st after the second beat and eventually finished 34th. But it wasn’t enough. Lammens finished 13th and Lemieux 3rd, which dropped Mergenthaler to 3rd overall. It was the first time that a Canadian had won a Finn Gold Cup and they had three boats in the top five as well. Anders Lundmark, who had lead at the first mark four times during the week finally won the last race and ended up 7th overall.

Final Results Gold Cup 1990

1.

Hank Lammens

KC 19

75.7

2.

Lawrence Lemieux

KC 201

77.4

3.

Eric Mergenthaler

MX 33

77.7

4.

Lasse Hjortnäs

D 143

87.7

5.

Mike Milner

KC 4

97.7

6.

Kiko Villalonga

E 106

99.7

7.

Anders Lundmark

S 700

107.7

8.

Alex Cutler

US 1044

107.7

9.

Philipp Malte

DDR 25

113.0

10.

Dirk Löwe

DDR 16

140.4

11.

Simon Gorman

KA 175

146.0

12.

Fredrik Lööf

S 684

149.0

13.

Enrico Passoni

I 722

161.0

14.

Joaquin Blanco

E 179

169.0

15.

Jeremy Fanstone

K 498

171.0

16.

Stig Westergaard

D 155

171.0

17.

Gordie Anderson

KC 171

175.0

18.

Toni Poncell

E 12

178.5

19.

Yuri Tokovoi

SR 21

180.7

20.

Hans Spitzauer

OE 218

181.0

21.

Brian Ledbetter

US 1080

182.0

22.

Richard Clarke

KC 11

184.0

23.

Alexander Rinne

G 1912

207.0

24.

Oleg Khoperski

SR 14

209.0

25.

Thomas Schmid

G 1903

211.0

26.

Mats Caap

S 718

218.4

27.

Armando Ortolano

GR 211

221.7

28.

Tim Tavinor

K 521

225.0

29.

Peter Aldag

G 1920

226.8

30.

Maciej Skibski

PZ 75

229.0

31.

Otto Strandvig

D 146

237.0

32.

Nick Jako

KC 13

240.0

33.

David Drappeau

F 758

242.0

34.

Lauri Rechardt

L 185

250.0

35.

Attila Szilvàssy

M 211

250.0

36.

Arif Gürdenli

TK 211

251.0

37.

A Papantoniou

GR 205

264.0

38.

Haluk Babacan

TK 52

264.0

39.

Ville Aalto-Setala

L 198

266.0

40.

Gerd Griegel

G 1711

268.8

36. Gold Cup 1991

Kingston, Canada, August 22-September 296 entries from 21 countriesDefending Champion Hank Lammens opened the series with a win and apart from one bad race was always in the leading bunch and took the title by 10.7 points. The weather conditions were very variable and provided some of the windiest conditions of recent Gold Cups. Lammens led until the sixth race, until a string of good results brought Fredrik Lööf into the top spot going in the last day. Any of four boats could have taken the Gold Cup on the last day. Lööf was leading the score sheet, but Lammens, Brian Ledbetter and Oleg Khoperski could also win, but all had already got a bad result, so they couldn’t afford another one. Lööf started badly and was out of it from the start. Lammens won the race to be sure of his second consecutive Gold Cup. Ledbetter was third to finish runner up and Khoperski was seventh in the race to take third overall.

Final Results Gold Cup 1991

1.

Hank Lammens

KC 19

46.7

2.

Brian Ledbetter

US 1080

57.4

3.

Oleg Khoperski

SR 14

77.7

4.

Fredrik Lööf

S 684

80.7

5.

Stuart Childerley

K 503

96.0

6.

Stig Westergaard

D 165

106.0

7.

Xavier Rohart

F 748

109.0

8.

François le Castrec

F 749

115.0

9.

Lawrence Lemieux

KC 201

118.0

10.

Anders Lundmark

S 700

120.0

11.

Hans Spitzauer

OE 218

120.0

12.

Glenn Bourke

KA 182

123.0

13.

Eric Mergenthaler

MX 33

128.0

14.

Richard Clarke

KC 11

129.0

15.

Dirk Löwe

G 14

129.0

16.

Yuri Tokovoi

SR 21

145.0

17.

Michael Fellmann

G 1916

153.0

18.

Malte Philipp

G 25

161.0

19.

Thomas Schmid

G 93

164.0

20.

Peter Aldag

G 1920

167.0

21.

Mark Herrmann

US 1026

172.0

22.

Kiko Villalonga

E 106

178.0

23.

Craig Monk

KZ 237

181.0

24.

Mats Caap

S 718

182.0

25.

Alec Cutler

US 1044

183.0

26.

Luca Devoti

I 789

186.0

27.

David Himmell

US 1066

186.0

28.

Otto Strandvig

D 146

192.0

29.

Richard Byron

US 1060

197.0

30.

Mike Milner

KC 4

199.0

31.

Richard Lott

K 484

200.0

32.

Philippe Presti

F 762

202.0

37. Gold Cup 1992

Cadiz, Spain, May 7-1794 entries from 32 countriesThe 1998 Gold Cup was held in Cadiz as part of the Mundo Vela ‘92, a series of sailing events involving Olympic classes and offshore racers to commemorate the discovery of America by Columbus. At the opening ceremony, Vice President (Sailing) Björn Westergaard, reminded everyone that long before Columbus ‘discovered’ the Americas, a Dane called Eric the Viking had landed there. After two light weather races, the first being won by Oleg Khoperski and the second being won by 57 year old Gus Miller, the wind arrived. Peter Aldag won the third race in strong winds. A day was then lost because the wind was too strong, and then Craig Monk won the windy 4th race. Two races were sailed on the last day. The first went to Xavier Rohart. Craig Monk was leading after five races, but a protest from the jury about his black bands in race 5 affected him so much he dropped out of the last race and applied for average points. In the race Eric Mergenthaler was now the favourite, but his boom broke halfway up the final beat. This meant that either Glenn Bourke or Hans Spitzauer could win if they did well enough - but they didn’t and Brian Ledbetter won the race. Monk’s protest was disallowed and the jury penalised him with a DND which dropped him to 19th overall. This meant that Eric Mergenthaler had finally won the Finn Gold Cup.

Final Results Gold Cup 1992

1.

Eric Mergenthaler

MX 33

61.7

2.

Glenn Bourke

KA 182

64.7

3.

Hans Spitzauer

OE 218

65.0

4.

Brian Ledbetter

US 1080

74.0

5.

Peter Aldag

G 1920

82.7

6.

Hank Lammens

KC 19

83.7

7.

Xavier Rohart

F 748

92.0

8.

Björn Westergaard

D 165

102.0

9.

Oleg Khoperski

IYRU 14

104.0

10.

Stuart Childerley

K 503

106.0

11.

Christoph Bergmann

BL 87

109.0

12.

Stig Westergaard

D 155

109.7

13.

Armando Ortolano

GR 1

110.0

14.

Lasse Hjortnäs

D 143

114.0

15.

Jali Makila

L 212

114.7

16.

Enrico Passoni

I 722

131.0

17.

Anders Lundmark

S 700

131.7

18.

Fredrik Lööf

S 684

132.0

19.

Craig Monk

KZ 237

135.7

20.

Jeremy Fanstone

K 498

140.0

21.

Michael Fellmann

G 1916

144.0

22.

José van der Ploeg

E 105

144.0

23.

Emanuele Vaccari

I 727

147.7

24.

Alexander Rinne

G 31

148.0

25.

Dirk Löwe

G 14

149.0

26.

Othmar M v Blumencron

Z 418

152.0

27.

Philippe Presti

F 762

152.0

28.

Luca Devoti

I 789

156.7

29.

Bart Zielhuis

H 544

161.7

30.

Jürgen Knuth

G 11

171.0

31.

Arif Gürdenli

TK 211

173.0

32.

Gerd Griegel

G 71

176.0

38. Gold Cup 1993

Bangor, Northern Ireland, July 9-1961 entries from 19 countriesNo one managed to win more than one race, the overall results saw a different leader after each race and the overall winner Philippe Presti didn’t win a single race. The racing was very close and for the first time in many years a variety of hulls filled the top positions (4 different hulls in top 5). In addition, carbon masts were starting to be used (Lööf and Westergaard). After six races Roy Heiner was leading but with only 6.25 points separating the top 5 places it was all down to the last race. Heiner went the wrong way and ended up 12th. Spitzauer dropped out with gear failure, so now it was down to three. At the last mark Presti in the new Devoti hull was 3rd, Lööf 4th and Richard Clarke sailing the new boat from Larry Lemieux was 5th. Lööf passed Presti but needed to pass one more boat to take the title. But it wasn’t to be. Lööf finished 3rd, and Presti crossed the line 4th, less than half a meter ahead of Clarke. Philippe Presti had won and again Fredrik Lööf would have to wait another year.

Final Results Gold Cup 1993

1.

Philippe Presti

FRA 762

28.00

2.

Fredrik Lööf

SWE 7

28.75

3.

Richard Clarke

CAN 11

34.00

4.

Roy Heiner

NED 638

34.75

5.

Hans Spitzauer

AUT 1

35.00

6.

Hank Lammens

CAN 19

37.00

7.

Jali Makila

FIN 1

47.75

8.

Othmar M v Blumencron

SUI 1

49.75

9.

Stig Westergaard

DEN 155

58.75

10.

Mark Herrmann

USA 1026

60.00

11.

Will Martin

USA 1132

66.00

12.

Anders Lundmark

SWE 699

70.00

13.

Craig Monk

NZL 237

71.75

14.

Xavier Rohart

FRA 778

101.00

15.

Michael Fellmann

GER 79

102.00

16.

David Shelton

USA 1109

104.00

17.

Mark Lammens

CAN 9

106.00

18.

Luca Devoti

ITA 789

108.75

19.

Mauro Fioretto

ITA 791

116.00

20.

Ville Aalto-Setala

FIN 2

122.00

21.

Darrell Peck

USA 1081

124.00

39. Gold Cup 1994

Pärnu, Estonia, August 12-2169 entries from 23 countriesAfter being the first Olympic class to sail its World Championships in Northern Ireland in 1993, the Finns again found an unconventional place to sail the Gold Cup. Just over 100km away from the site of the 1980 Olympic regatta in Tallinn, the Finns found beautiful sailing water with good winds and good racing: one of the best Gold Cups ever was the unanimous verdict. The weather started wet and windy and ended with more moderate conditions. No sailor won more than one race and the racing was tight until the end. Fredrik Lööf had twice lost the Gold Cup on the last day. This time he took the lead after day two, won race four and then taking each day as it came maintained his points lead over Hank Lammens. Half way through the last race, Lammens had the lead with Lööf in 10th, enough for Lammens to win his 3rd Gold Cup. But José Maria van de Ploeg went more to one side and took the lead. Lööf fought back to 7th while Lammens slipped to 3rd. It was enough for Fredrik Lööf to win the Gold Cup for the first time.

Final Results Gold Cup 1994

1.

Fredrik Lööf

SWE 7

21.75

2.

Hank Lammens

CAN 19

24.75

3.

José Maria van der Ploeg

ESP 105

28.75

4.

Hans Spitzauer

AUT 1

30.00

5.

Richard Clarke

CAN 11

32.75

6.

Craig Monk

NZL 237

38.75

7.

Dirk Löwe

GER 14

48.00

8.

Philippe Presti

FRA 762

57.75

9.

Othmar M v Blumencron

SUI 1

65.00

10.

Xavier Rohart

FRA 778

77.75

11.

Michael Maier

CZE 304

88.00

12.

Lawrence Lemieux

CAN 201

93.00

13.

Mateusz Kusznierewicz

POL 17

101.00

14.

Dominik Zycki

POL 4

102.00

15.

Sebastien Godefroid

BEL 7

107.00

16.

Darrell Peck

USA 1081

120.00

17.

David Shelton

USA 1137

131.00

18.

Michael Fellmann

GER 79

133.00

19.

Jali Makila

FIN 1

134.00

20.

Philippe Rogge

BEL 2

134.00

21.

Mauro Fioretto

ITA 781

136.00

22.

John Driscoll

IRL 1

137.00

23.

Robert Eric Oetgen

USA 1087

142.00

24.

Will Martin

USA 1182

143.00

25.

Kalle Akerson

SWE 700

145.00

26.

Mark Lammens

CAN 9

154.00

27.

Igor Tkachuk

UKR 119

159.00

28.

Paul McKenzie

AUS 165

160.00

29.

James Lyne

GBR 534

164.00

30.

Andre Budzien

GER 70

164.00

40. Gold Cup 1995

Melbourne, Australia, January 9-1565 entries from 23 countriesThe 40th Finn Gold Cup was hosted by Black Rock Yacht Club, an off-the-beach dinghy club on Port Phillip. With the exception of Denmark and the Netherlands every Finn country with medal potential had sent its top sailors. Competition was therefore fierce. After conditions ranged from no wind to 25 knots during the first six races, the championship reached its climax with Hans Spitzauer leading defending champion Fredrik Lööf and Philippe Presti just 2 points further back. With no race possible after 3 pm and no wind at 2:45, everyone was convinced that there would be no race. But the wind kicked in and the start gun was fired at 2:59. With the biased line, the boats at the pin were over and a general recall was fired. So, Hans Spitzauer won the Gold Cup as they couldn’t make another start. Spitzauer didn’t win a race but his series score of 7, 2, 2, 2, 8, 4 was consistent enough to win by the smallest of margins. Fleet depth was also shown once more by the fact that the top 14 sailors came from 12 different countries.

Final Results Gold Cup 1995

1.

Hans Spitzauer

AUT 1

17.00

2.

Fredrik Lööf

SWE 7

17.75

3.

Philippe Presti

FRA 762

19.75

4.

Richard Clarke

CAN 11

28.75

5.

Xavier Rohart

FRA 778

31.75

6.

Hank Lammens

CAN 19

36.00

7.

Michael Fellmann

GER 79

42.00

8.

Luca Devoti

ITA 789

44.00

9.

José Maria van der Ploeg

ESP 105

62.75

10.

Michael Maier

CZE 304

64.00

11.

Jali Makila

FIN 215

68.00

12.

Dean Barker

NZL 247

71.00

13.

Peter Theurer

SUI 2

72.00

14.

Karlo Kuret

CRO 110

74.00

15.

Leith Armit

NZL 241

85.00

16.

Othmar M v Blumencron

SUI 1

86.00

17.

Oleg Khoperski

RUS 21

88.0

18.

Paul McKenzie

AUS 208

99.0

19.

Andreas Buchert

GER 6

100.0

20.

Richard Stenhouse

GBR 540

101.0

21.

Larry Lemieux

CAN 201

103.0

22.

Dirk Löwe

GER 14

105.0

23.

Andre Budzien

GER 70

105.75

24.

Emanuele Vaccari

ITA 727

106.0

25.

Philippe Rogge

BEL 2

108.0

41. Gold Cup 1996

La Rochelle, France, May 1-1071 entries from 27 countriesFor the first time ever the Finn Gold Cup was combined with the Finn World Masters to bring together nearly 200 Finns from all over the world. The winds were generally strong and as usual the Gold Cup was decided on the last beat of the last race. Initially it looked as if defending champion Hans Spitzauer was going to have it easy collecting a 2nd and two wins. Philippe Presti then scored a 1st and a 2nd, closing the gap. Day 6 saw two windy races both won by Luca Devoti, an achievement not equalled by any other Finn sailor for many years. Going into the last race Spitzauer was 0.25 points clear of Presti with Jali Makila, Karlo Kuret and Fredrik Lööf not far behind. Initially it looks as if the Gold Cup was going to Makila, but a big shift on the second beat brought Lööf and Presti back to the front. Lööf finally won the race with Presti in 5th and Spitzauer in 6th. Philippe Presti had done enough to win his second Finn Gold Cup.